Fishline sinker



March 22, 1938. D. M. BARDON FISHLINE SINKER Filed June 16, 1936 INVENTOR, ?0h 1 3MB 4750 n.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 22, 1,938

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rrsnunn SINKER,

v Donis M. Bardon, Seattle. Wash.

Application June 16, 1936. Serial No. 85,461

2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in fishline sinkers, and has for an object to provide for the engagement and disengagement of the sinker with any continuouspart of the fishline, combined with clamping means adapted to fasten the sinker on any uesired part of the fishline in a manner which provides for automatically releasing the line from the clamp by putting tension on the said line.

Other objects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

I attain this and other objects of my invention with the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Fig. 1 is a front-edge view of my improved sinker, shown without a fishline and drawn on an enlarged scale, Fig. 2 is a bottom end view of Fig. 1 which has been revolved through an angle of 90", Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. 1 shown with a fishline engaged with the same, and Fig. 4 is an elevation view of the other side of Fig. 1 shown with a fishline both engaged with and fastened thereunto.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout, certain parts are broken away to show other parts hidden thereby.

With more particular reference to indicated parts: A suitably shaped piece of lead 5 has fastenedthereon the two similar, aligned sleeves I, 1 of spaced, helically-wound wire. As astructural preference, the helical sleeves I, 'l are formed on the ends of a non-corrosible wire 6 which is embedded in the moulded sinker 5, disposing the sleeves 1 external to the sinker and at the ends thereof.

0n the upper end of the sinker 5 beside one of the said sleeves and out of alignment with and external to the sleeves is fastened a helical clamp consisting of close, helically-wound spring 4 wire having the jaws 9, 9 and the shanks B, B. Preferably, the shanks 8. 8 are embedded in the upper end of the sinker at the time the same is moulded to dispose the jaws 9, 9 to one side of the upper helical sleeve 1.

To engage the fishline I0 with the upper helix 1, the sinker is held in the left hand with the left thumb at 5 pressing the line against the sinker. The line II! is grasped by the right hand above the sinker and caused to enter the helix between the bottom end of the upper sleeve I and the upper end of the sinker by moving the right hand toward the left. The right hand with the line is moved to the right, when, momentarily, this hand is at ill and a portion of the line i0 is in the curved position shown in dotted outline above the sinker. The right hand is now swung clockwise in a circle, while holding the line taut, and it will pass between the several turns of the wire and pass over the end of the wire at upper I to be fully installed within the 6 upper sleeve 1 as shown in solid lines at Ill;

To engage the line in the lower sleeve 1 the procedure is the same as above described, the left thumb being pressed against the line and sinker at 5 the line being grasped by the right hand below the sinker and placed between the upper end of the lower helix and the lower end of the sinker. The right hand is then moved toward the right, momentarily, placing the line in the curved position shown in dotted lines be- 15 low the sinker with the hand at Ill". The right hand is now swung in a circle clockwise till the line has passed between the several turns of the helix and over the end of the lower helix at lower 1, when the line is fully installed and engaged with the lower sleeve 1 as shown in solid lines at "I. The line Ill may now be reeved through the sleeves as freely as desired; or, stated in the opposite way, the sinker may move on the line, as desired, without danger of disengagement between sinker and line.

To fasten the line ill to the sinker 5, when the line is reeved through the sleeves I, l, the sinker and line are held in the left hand and the line is grasped in the right hand above the sinker external to the sleeves bent sharply out of alignment with the sleeves 'l, I and forced between the jaws 9, 9, thus forcing the spring jaws apart, and the line is held by spring reaction against the operation of a considerable force tending to remove it, as shown at Ill. The sinker is now fastened on the line at a desired location and the line and sinker, together with the leader and the lure which are assumed to be fastened on the outer end of the line, areready to be cast into the water. When a fish strikes the lure and is engaged by the hook, it exerts a pull on the line, putting the same under tension, sufficient to dislodge the line from the jaws 9, 9, and the sinker, being released from the clamp, moves downward on the line to the knot where the leader is tied to the line. The knot, by construction, is too large to pass through the lower sleeve I and further downward movement of thesinker on the line is stopped. Then, when the fisherman is ready to reel in the fish the entire line is ready for that operation.

" To again'fasten the sinker in a particular location on the line, it is moved to the desired location and fastened there by being forced between the jaws 9, 9 as before. It may occur that, because of change in depth of the fishing, it is desired to move the sinker to another place on the line. This is done by removing the line from the jaws 9, 9, moving the sinker to the new location on the line and again forcing the line between the jaws to fasten the same in the new location.

It may be desired to unfasten the line from the sinker clamp 9. while the latter is beneath the water and no fish thereon. This is done by lowering the end of the pole and then suddenly and forcefully raising it when the line will be drawn out of the clamping jaws and the sinker will move downward on the line to the said knot, leaving the entire line free to be reeled in.

Having thus disclosed my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. A fishline sinker, a plurality of aligned sleeves of spaced, helically-wound wire fastened on the sinker adapted to engage any part of a fishline for the free reeving of the line through the sleeves, and a clamp of close, helically-wound spring wire fastened on the said sinker disposed beside one of the said sleeves out of alignment with and external to the said sleeves adapted for engaging and retaining any part of a fishline against the force of a relatively weak pull on the line and also adapted to release the said fishline when the line is pulled by a relatively strong force.

2. In combination, a fishing gear including, a fishline sinker, a plurality of aligned sleeves of spaced, helically-wound wire fastened on the said sinker adapted for the reeving of any continuous part of a fishline therein, and a spring clamp fastened on the said sinker adapted for engaging a continuous part of a fishline and retaining the line against the force of a, relatively weak pull on the said line and adapted to release the said fishline when the line is pulled by a relatively strong force, with the said fishline reeved in the said sleeves and engaged in the said clamp at a point in the said line external to the part thereof between the said sleeves.

DONIS M. BARDON. 

